Apple looks to be planning ahead for the production of its next-gen iPhone.

The company recently bought production equipment for rigid flexible printed circuit boards (RFPCBs) and is now leasing it to suppliers, hoping to secure a stable flow of parts for this fall’s “iPhone 8,” according to the Korea Herald and ET News.

The equipment is apparently worth “tens of millions of dollars” per one of three RFPCB suppliers. In an unexpected change, one of the three suppliers, a Taiwanese company, decided to back out of the chain, forcing Apple to assist the two South Korean firms still onboard. Sources have suggested that the Taiwanese company may have been upset by complicated production, tough quality requirements, and low profits.

The AirPods are available while supplies last and are available for $159.97 with free 2-day shipping. This beats Apple’s current 6-week wait and puts the hard to find accessory in your hands the fastest without paying more than MSRP.

The latest drone footage of the Apple Park campus, shot by Matthew Roberts, reveals the
visitor center taking shape, the reassembled historic barn, the lake/pond looking almost ready to be filled with water and additional greenery that’s been added.

The newly-planted trees help define what the space will be, and with the inclusion of them in the interior of the ring, this helps flesh out what the final green areas will look like.

Additional work has been done inside the glass-enclosed entrance to the Steve Jobs Theater, and viewers can see the visitor center, located across the street, starting to take shape. This will combine an on-site Apple Store with a cafe open to the public.

Apple is said to be working on implementing a specialized rear-facing laser system in its upcoming “iPhone 8” that will facilitate augmented reality applications, like those produced with ARKit, as well as faster and more accurate autofocus capabilities.

Per a source close to the story, Apple will apply VSCEL technology to the rear-facing camera. This system, in turn, calculates distance to a target using light pulses and time of flight (TOF) measurements, would allow for extremely accurate depth mapping, a plus for AR applications.

If you’ve had problems with the back cover detaching from your first-gen Apple Watch, Apple has extended its program to offer a second year of free repair coverage for the issue. In addition, a service document shows that this program has been extended to three years

Per the document:

Apple has determined that under certain conditions on some Apple Watch (1st generation) devices the back cover may separate from the watch case. Apple will service eligible devices free of charge. Apple will authorize coverage for three (3) years from the date of purchase.

The notebook travel ban may be lifted in a relatively short period of time.

The Department of Homeland Security on Tuesday said if security measures are increased at the airports in coming days and weeks, the restriction will be removed.

Back in March, the United States banned electronic devices larger than a smartphone from the cabins of flights coming to the U.S. from 10 airports in eight countries in the Middle East and North Africa. Officials feared that the devices could be used to smuggle explosives on board.

The electronics ban remains in effect for U.S.-bound flights from airports in Cairo, Egypt; Casablanca, Morocco; and Jeddah and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Apple seems to be making moves to poach additional staff from Imagination Technologies, the British chip designer behind the GPUs used in iOS devices. Per the Telegraph, Apple has established its own GPU design team in offices just a few miles from Imagination’s offices in St. Albans.

The report states that Apple has already hired individuals such as COO John Metcalfe and that in setting up the localized office, they’ll be able to recruit Imagination staff members without requiring them to move or relocate.

Apple Maps now covers the public transit systems for Vegas and its surrounding areas.

On Monday, Apple added Las Vegas and surrounding areas to its Apple Maps data list, allowing users to snag times, stops, and routes for options like the Las Vegas Monorail and RTC Transit buses as needed. These include the special Deuce and SDX shuttles, which cater to people touring the Strip and downtown landmarks like the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Other newly-added regions include Reno, Sparks and Carson City, complete with bus directions for RTC Wash and Jump Around Carson. On a state level people can get around using Silverado Mainline buses, or existing options like Amtrak trains.

Per a tweet by Mac guru John Gruber, a tipster has indicated that that the new charging technology “might be late” and not launch until iOS 11.1 is released.

Gruber has likened the delay of wireless charging to the delay of Portrait Mode on the iPhone 7 plus. While Apple demonstrated Portrait Mode when the handset was being unveiled, the feature wasn’t made available to the public until iOS 10.1, a month after the device’s release.

Apple’s next-gen iPhone handset is now rumored to arrive in four difference colors, including a new reflective “mirror” version that’s never been seen before.

The rumor comes from a tweet posted by Benjamin Geskin, who said the handset will come in four total colors, one of them new. He also posted an iPhone 6s mirror-like case to to offer an idea of what the reflective design might look like.

Since Geskin only identified one color as new, it’s thought that the other colors might be similar to the six different shades currently offered on the iPhone 7 handset.